Performance Variable Demon 60 User manual

Date: 30.06.2004 Manual
Revision:0 DEMON US
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Performance Variablee.K.AmTower 16, D-54634 Bitburg
PerformanceVariable e.K.
AmTower 16
D-54634 Bitburg
Ph/: [phone]
[e-mail]
www.myskyshop.de

Date: 30.06.2004 Manual
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Performance Variablee.K.AmTower 16, D-54634 Bitburg
Dear Skydiver,
Thankyouforpurchasing anew DemoncanopyfromPerformance Variable. Weare sure youwill
enjoytheperformance—openings,flightandlandings—aswellasthequalityanddurabilityofthis
sportcanopy.
Youandyour rigger shouldcarefullyinspectyour new canopy. Thenpleasetake thetimetoread
thismanualandthoroughly familiarize yourselfwithall aspectsoftheDemoncanopy—assembly,
inspection,maintenance, packingandperformance characteristics—before jumping it. Donot hesi-
tateto contactuswithanyquestionsorcomments.
Once again, we appreciateyour choice ofaPerformance Variableproduct.
Sincerely,
BerndPohl
President

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Performance Variablee.K.AmTower 16, D-54634 Bitburg
Table of Contents
 
Warning; Aboutthis Manual 4
Disclaimer—No Warranty 5
Canopy Description; TechnicalSpecifications 5+6
Read Before Assembly or Use 6
Canopy Size 7
Improving the Performance of Your Canopy 7
Assembly 8
PeriodicInspection Procedure 9
Installation ofPD Soft Links 10
Cleaning Your Canopy; Storage 11
Introductory Jumps 12
Swoop Landings 13+14
“DOs and DON’Ts” for ConsistentlyGood Openings 15+16
Packing Tips for GoodOpenings 17
Pre-Packing Instructions 18
Read the ManualFirst; Packing Nylsilk-FabricCanopies 19
Inspection Performed Before Each Packing 20
Packing Procedures 21
Setting the Brakes 22
Doublestring Slider 23
Cloth Link Bumpers; Slider Preparation 24
Folding the Canopy(Illustrations 1-37) 25 - 31
Contact Performance Variable 32

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Performance Variablee.K.AmTower 16, D-54634 Bitburg
!Warning !
Each time you use this parachute you risk serious bodilyinjury or death
You can substantially reduce thisrisk:
1) By assuringthatevery componentoftheparachutesystem hasbeenassem- bled and
packed instrictcompliancewiththe manufacturer’s instructions.
2) By obtainingproper instructioninthe useof this canopyandtherestof your equipment.
3) By operatingthesystem instrict compliancewiththeowner’s manual andsafe parachuting
practices.
However,parachutesystems sometimesfailtooperateproperly even when properlyassembled,
packed and operated, soyourisk seriousinjury ordeatheachtimeyouusethesystem!
About ThisManual
Itis beyondthescope ofthismanualtoteachyouhow todeploy,fly,landormaintainthisparachute.
TheU.S.ParachuteAssociationpublishesrecommendedproceduresonlearningtojumpandusing
skydivingequipment.Weurgeyoutolearnandfollowtheseprocedures. Wealsorecommendyou
obtaininstructionfromacompetentUSPA-rated instructorbeforeusing this parachuteforthefirst
time
Othercountrieshavesimilarorganizationsforinstruction.Ifyouarenotinthe USA, getinstructions
from acompetentinstructorthat israted by your country's organization.
Jumpingthisparachute withoutfirstreceivingthoroughandpersonalinstruction increasestherisk of
seriousinjury or death.
Sportparachutingtechnologyandprocedurescontinuetodevelopandchangerapidly.Although
reasonablecarehasbeenmadeinthepreparationofthismanual, PerformanceVariablecautions
thatit maycontaininformation thatmay beincorrect or behindthecurrent state-of-the-art parachute
use.
For thesereasons, weurge youtowork closelywithqualifiedexperts (riggersand instructors) tohelp
you inspect,assemble,pack, useandmaintainthis parachute. Wealsowelcomeyour comments,
positiveandnegative, aboutour products.
Readthismanual completely beforeassembling,
packing or usingyour Demonmaincanopy.
DEMON
Differentials mayvary +O.25”or -O.25”fromthe originaldimensions.Othercanopiesofthesame
sizemayhavedifferenttrims, andthis manualmaynotbe applicabletothem. This manualmaybe
revisedatany timeby PerformanceVariable.The only waytobe surethis manualis current foryour
canopyis tocheck periodically withPerformanceVariable.We welcomesuggestionsofwaystoim-
provethis publication.Ifyou feelparts areincorrect orhardtounderstand,pleaseletusknowin
writing.

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Performance Variablee.K.AmTower 16, D-54634 Bitburg
Disclaimer - No Warranty
Because of theunavoidabledangerassociatedwith the useof thisparachute,the manufac-
turer makes no warranty, either express or implied. It issoldwith allfaults and withoutany
warranty of fitness for any purpose.
The manufactureralso disclaimsany liability in tort for damages, direct or consequential,in-
cluding personalinjuries resulting froma defect in design, materialor workmanship or manu-
facturing whether causedby negligence on the part of the manufacturer orotherwise.
By usingthisparachute assembly, orallowingitto beusedby others,the user waives any
liability ofthe manufacturer for personalinjuries or other damages arising fromsuch use.
If thebuyer declinesto waive liabilityonthepart ofthemanufacturer, buyermay obtain a full
refund of the purchase price,by returning the parachute before itis used to the manufacturer
within15 days fromthe date of the originalpurchase, with aletterstating why itwas re-
turned.
!Warning !
EACH TIME YOU USE THIS PARACHUTEYOU RISK SERIOUS
BODILYINJURYOR DEATH.
Type MainCanopy
Number of Cells 9
Manufacturer Performance Variable, Germany
Suspension LineLinks Stainless-steelMiniLinks or Soft Links
Canopy Material Nylon Zero-P (doublecoatedPU&Silicon)
Suspension Lines Spectra/Micro, Vectran
CanopyDescription

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Performance Variablee.K.AmTower 16, D-54634 Bitburg
TechnicalSpecifications
Canopy
Model
Size Weight Exit
Weight
Min.
Exit
Weight
Max.
Lines
Micro &
Vectran
ft² lbs. lbs. lbs.
Demon 60 60 3,5 60 150 M500/725
V750
Demon 70 70 3.5 70 167 M500/725
V750
Demon 80 80 4.5 80 189 M500/725
V750
Demon 90 90 4.5 90 213 M500/725
V750
Demon 100 100 5.5 100 230 M500/725
V750
Demon 110 110 5.5 110 242 M500/725
V750
Demon 120 120 5,5 120 264 M500/725
V750
Demon 130 130 6.0 130 275 M500/725
V750
Pack-
volume
cuinch
170
190
210
240
270
300
330
355
Read Before Assembly or Use
Sinceparachutesaremanufacturedandinspectedbypeople, thereis always apossibility this para-
chutecontainsdefectsasaresultofhumanerror.Therefore,theentireparachutesystem—main
andreservecanopies, harness, containerandothercomponents—must be thoroughly inspectedbe-
foreits first andbeforeeachsubsequentuse.
Parachutesgetweakerovertimeforanumberofreasons.Theyreceivewearduringpacking,de-
ploymentandlanding.Exposuretomanyagents, includingsunlight,heatandhouseholdchemicals,
significantly weakens parachutes.Thedamagemay or maynotbeobvious.
Tohelpminimizetherisk ofparachutefailureandpossibleseriousinjury ordeath,theentirepara-
chutesystemshouldbethoroughly inspectedatleastevery 120 days or 50jumps,whichevercomes
first. It shouldbeimmediately inspected ifat any timeit is exposedtoadegrading elementor unusu-
ally hardopeningor any timedamage maybe suspected.
Remember thatsomechemicals will continuetodegradetheparachutelongafter initial exposure.
Regular andthoroughinspections arenecessary toinsurethestructural integrity,reliability and flight
characteristics ofthesystemaremaintained.
Always knowthe entirelifehistory ofevery part ofyourparachutesystem. Thatwayyou will know
no parthas been exposed toanelement thatmayseriously weakenordamageit.

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CanopySize
It is importantfor your safety andenjoyment that you matchyour canopy withyour ability and weight.
PV canopiesarebuilt inseveralmodels thatspanawiderangeofcanopysurfacearea.Anycan-
opy'sdescentrateand forwardspeedincreasesastheweightitiscarrying—theso-called exit
weight—increases. The canopyalsobecomesmoreresponsiveas forwardspeedincreases. Italso
reacts moreradically whenitis stalledor turned.
Becauseof theseaerodynamic facts,it is unsafetoputtoomuchweight under anyparticular canopy.
Safeand comfortablelandingswill be difficulttoobtain,evenforexperienced jumpers underideal
conditions. Less experiencedjumpers will haveeven aharder timeand beat greater risk.
Determining the wingloadingoftheparachuteyouintendto jumporbuyis agoodwaytocompare
canopysizes.
Wingloadingiseasily calculated bydividingthetotal exitweightinpounds by thesurfaceareaofthe
canopyinsquarefeet. Total exit weightis theweight of the jumperplusall his clothing andgear, in-
cludingthemainparachuteitself.
The surfaceareaof PerformanceVariablecanopiesis printedonthe datapanel, onthecentercell
rib,oronthecentercell topsurfacenearthetail. (Besuretoactually check thedatapanel—
canopies of differentsizes may lookthesame.)
Atypicalready-to-jumpsport piggyback (rigandbothcanopies) weighs20to30lbs.Addthis, plus
theweightofyourjumpsuit,clothingandaccessoriestoyourbodyweightto getthetotalsuspended
weight.
Forexample,ajumperwhoweighs165lbs. wearing his jumpsuitandwhojumpsapackedrigthat
weighs25lbs. wouldhaveanexitweightof190lbs.
Hereis anexampleofhowtocalculatewing loading ofa150ft² canopyand thejumperused inthe
exampleabove:190lbs.: 150ft² = 1.27lbs /ft²
Calculatethewing loading nowfor the canopyyou intend to jump.
Itis usefultocomparethewing loadingofacanopyyouintend tojumpwiththewingloadingvalues
ofparachutesyouhavebeenjumping. Ifthedifferenceis great, youshouldexpectthenewcanopy
toperform very differently thanthe onesyouhavejumpedbefore.Seethesectionofthis manual
on IntroductoryJumpsfor our suggestionsonlearningabout yournewcanopy.
Improving the Performance of your Canopy
Themosteffectivemethodsofincreasingperformanceinvolvereducingdragorwindresistance.The
followingfactors will, toalargeextent, determinethe performanceyougetout of your canopy.
Threedecisionsyoumadeatthetimeofpurchasedeterminetheperformanceofyourcanopy.(1)
The sizewasthe most important.Smaller canopies arefasterbut haveanoticeably lowerglideratio.
(2)Microline improvestheperformanceoverstandardDacron line.(3)Largegrommetsallowyou
topull thesliderdownbelowthelinks, allowingthecanopytospread out more.

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The performanceofyourcanopyis greatly affectedbyhowit is setup.Themost effectivethingthat
you can change hereis toreducethe pilotchutedrag.Thereareseveralsystems availableforcol-
lapsingthepilotchute,eachwithdistinct advantagesand disadvantages.Youshouldthoroughly in-
vestigatethe options availableandchoosetheonethatis best for you.
How youusethecanopy will effect theperformanceyougetoutofit. Theslider drag maybe reduced
by stowing it. OnPV canopy models, atiestrap is installedonthesliderfor this. Ifyou do usethis or
asimilar method,besurethe slider is re-setbeforeyoustart topack the canopy.
PV recommendsthatyouleavethe sliderabovethe links. Somejumpers bring the sliderpast the
toggles,downtothebottom of therisers and stowit behindtheir neck.Thisdoesresultinaslightin-
creaseinperformance,however,itis dangerous.Iftheslidershouldinflateormovefromitsstowed
position itcanobstruct yourvision.
Assembly
Yourcanopyshouldbe assembled byacertifiedrigger. Beforeyoubegin,besuretherisers, tog-
gles, bridle, deploymentbag,pilot chute, harness, container and other items arecompatiblewithyour
PV canopyandeachother.Sometoggles,forexample,will notwork properly oncertaintypeofris-
ers. Assembleyour system inaccordancewiththeowner’s manualfor your rig.
Theseinstructionswill work forDacron/Micro/Spectralinedcanopies. However, werecommendfol-
lowing therigmanufacturer's instructionsfor toggleattachment.
Twocommonproblems that mayhappenifthetogglesareinstalled improperly are:
A) Thetoggleknot getting caughton theguidering,and
B) Theknot slipping.
Besurethat your installationis safe. Thecontainer manufacturer's instructionsmaynot becompati-
blewiththis canopy.
RecommendedattachmentofVelcro-backed toggles onDemonsteeringlines with finger-trapped
loops:
Routethe steering linethroughthe slider, thenthetoggleguideringand then thetoggle.See draw-
ing #1.Threadthe togglethroughthe loopinthesteeringline. Seedrawing #2.Pull loopup to the
togglegrommet.Notethatthe loop of the steeringline is goingthrough andaroundthe toggle.See
drawing #3.
#1 #2 #3

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PeriodicInspection Procedure
Performed atassembly andafterevery 50jumpsor 120 days, whichever comesfirst.
Yourcanopymust beinspectedthoroughly beforeit is jumpedthefirst timeandperiodically thereaf-
ter. This procedureismorethoroughthantheinspectionwhichshouldbecompletedeachtimethe
parachuteis packed.Yourriggershouldinspectyourparachutesysteminaclean,well-lightedarea
inwhichthecanopycanbe spreadout.
Hereis onerecommendedprocedure.Consultthe owner's manuals foryourrigandothercompo-
nents forinstructionson inspectingthem. It's best toinspectyourcanopyinacareful, systematic
way. Werecommendstartingatthe top ofthecanopyandworkingdowntotherisers. Youshould
leavethecanopy attachedtotherig.
1)Bridleattachment: Besurethebridleiscorrectly attachedtothecanopy.Checktheintegrity of
thecanopyfabric andreinforcement tapes inthearea wherethebridleringis attached.
2)Topsurface: Spread the canopyouton its bottomsurfaceand inspect thetop skin.Lookfor
rips, stainsorfailed seams. Check thefabric strength.
3)Bottomsurface: Turnthecanopyoverandspreadit outtoinspect bottomskin.Check forrips,
stains,failedseams. Check fabric strengthand lineattachmentpoints.
4.Inspecteachrib from theleadingedgetothe tail by lookinginside eachcell. Payextra attention
tolineandbridleattachmentpoints.
5.Laythecanopy outneatly ononeside,stacking eachribontop oftheothers. Check thatall
linesineachlinegroup arethe samelengthand that thetrim differentialbetweeneachline groupis
correct for this canopy.Check conditionofstabilizers and slider stops.
6.Suspension lines: Checkthefull lengthofeachline fordamageandwear. Lookforfrayingatall
cascades(Y-shapedjunctionof twolines) and whereeachlineattaches totheconnector link.
7. Slider: Besurethe fabric isn'ttornandthat thegrommets areundamaged,havenosharpedges
andaresecurely attachedtotheslider.
8. Risers: Besurethe barrels oftheconnectorlinks aretightenedandthesliderstopsproperlyposi-
tioned.
9.Thetoggles must beinstalledcorrectly andmust matchtheguide ringandVelcroontherisers. A
riggermustcheck this installation.Besuretheriserreleasesystemis assembledcorrectly andthat
it will functionwhen activated.
10.Therestof theassembly: Followthe instructionsintherigmanufacturer'sowner's manualto
inspect therestof your parachutesystem.

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1 2 3
654
7 8 9
Installation of Performance DesignsSoftLinks ©

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Performance Variablee.K.AmTower 16, D-54634 Bitburg
Cleaning Your Canopy
Standard Materials
Avoidwashing orcleaningyourcanopyifatall possible.Cleaningthematerialwill increasethe po-
rosity, causingreducedperformance.Onlycleanareasthat arecontaminated withasubstancethat
will degrade thematerial. Mildsoapand water will removemost contaminants. Ifnecessary, mineral
spirits maybeusedforgreaseoroil.Donotuseanyothercleansers.Donotusecleansersthat
containbleach.Avoidagitatingthecanopy, especially whenwet.Agitationwill causeareductionin
canopyperformance.
Fabric
The NYLSILKfabric is notaffected bywater. However, the reinforcementtapesmaybe.All tapes
usedinthesecanopiesarepre-shrunkat the factory tomakethem moredimensionally stable.
However,iftheygetwet,thisdoesnotmeanthattheywill returntotheexactsamesizewhendry.
Small changesinlengthsmaymakealargedifferenceincanopy performance. Tomaintainthebest
performance,avoidgettingthecanopywet.
Water jumpsare notrecommended.
Ifyouneedtoclean yourcanopy, pleasewashonly dirty orcontaminatedareas.Useonly amild
soapand water. Oil andgreaseusually do notpenetratethecoating surface,sosolvents arenot
normally necessary. Also, somesolvents may affect the coating. Avoidgettingtapes wet ifpossible.
Donot machine wash.
Storage
Storeyourparachuteinacool, dry placeinacontainerthroughwhichlightwill notpass. This will
preventthepermanentanddifficult-to-detectdamagecausedbyultravioletlightfromsunlightand
other sources.
Certainotheragents—notablyacids—will quicklycausegreatdamage toyourparachute.Donot
storeyourparachutewhereitmightcomeintocontactwith suchsubstances.Forexample,automo-
biletrunks contaminatedlongagowithbattery acidhavedestroyedmany parachutes.

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IntroductoryJumps
Onyourfirst jump with yournew canopy –
please do notgo to terminal!
We recommend making a 3-sec. delay
(because a subterminal openingwill stretch fabric andlines symmetrically).
Also, pullingat a higheraltitude will give youmore time tobecomefamiliarwithyour
new canopy.
Evenifyouarefamiliarwithram-air parachutes,including PV canopies, yournewparachutemay
handledifferently. Thereforealways makeseveraljumpswiththe purposeofgetting toknowyour
newparachute.
Pick aday withfavorablewind conditionsandjumpby yourself. Open highand findouthow thecan-
opyflies.Tryslowturnsandfastturnsfromno brakes,quarterbrakes, half-brakes,three-quarter
brakesandfull brakes!
Determineifthecanopyhelicopterturns(stall turns) and,if so,underwhatconditions.Find outhow
thecanopyrecoversfromvarioustypesofstalls.Stall thecanopyseveraltimesand seehowthis
happensbothfromfullflightandminimumairspeed.Turnthecanopybypullingonthefrontorrear
risers rather thanthe toggles.
Fly somepracticeapproachesandflarethe canopyasyouwouldwhenyouland it.Noticehowfar
you must depressthetogglestogetalandingstallandhowquickly this stall occurs.
Keeptrackofyourlocationrelativetoyourintended landingareaasyou"test”yourcanopysoyou
won’tdrifttoofaraway.Discontinueyourexperimenting whenyou'vedescendedto 1000ft.above
theground.
Planandexecuteaconservativelandingapproachintoalarge,unobstructedlandingarea.Steer,
flareandlandthecanopyasyouweretaughtbyyourinstructor.Mostjumpers underestimatehow
fartheywill traveloverthe ground duringthelandingflare.Makesureyou haveenough openarea
aheadof your intended touchdownpoint.
Sinceyou mightmisjudge yourearly landings, bepreparedtodoasafeparachutelanding fall rather
thanastand-up!
Suchintroductoryjumpswill helpyoudiscoverwhatmakesyourcanopyrespond violently. Thecan-
opywill letyou knowthatit is abouttodosomething violentbyits “feel.” You must be experienced
inthese flight modes toknow whatit is tellingyou!
Knowingthiswill helpyou avoidthesesituationsclosetothegroundwhen theycanbequitedanger-
ous.

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Swoop Landings
At most dropzonestherearesomejumpers wholiketodohigh-approach-speed(swoop)landings.
Theselandingslookimpressive,traveling longdistancesinchesoff theground and then going
backup beforelanding.Theproblemis thattheselandingscanbevery dangerousforthe jumper
andanyoneelsearoundthejumper.
Manyoftheseswooplandingsarestarted byalowturn.Iftimedincorrectly thejumpercanhit the
groundhardenough tobefatal.Many jumpers havebeenhurt byhavinganotherturnintothem.
Tominimizethe danger involvedinskydivingyoushouldavoidall turns closetothe groundand turns
thatcouldbringyouclosetoanotherjumperintheair.PV recommendsthatall jumpers limit their
turns toonly minor coursecorrections below 500’. Ifyou insist onperforming aswooplandingmake
sureyouarealone inthe air. Donotattemptaswoop landingifthereareotherjumpers inthe air or
thelandingarea.
The following adviceisnotintendedtorecommend thatyoutry swooplandings, rather, itis only in-
cludedbecausewerecognizethatsomepeoplewill try todo swooplandings, eventhoughPV rec-
ommendsnotto.Wehaveincludedthis sectiontominimizetherisk tothosewhoaregoingtoat-
temptswoop landings.
Donottryanyswooplandingsuntil youareveryfamiliarwithyourcanopyandthelandingarea.
Evenpeoplewhoarevery skilled occasionally hurt themselves. Start outslowly. You do notneed
anymorespeed than full glidewhenfirst learning.Nevertry aswooplandingunlesstheweather
conditionsaresuitable.As youbecomemorefamiliarwithyourcanopy, youmaywant tostart using
afaster approach.Ifso,increaseyour speedinsmall incrementsovermanyjumps.Mostpeopleget
hurt bytryingtoomuchtoosoon.
Try severalpracticeapproaches whileat high altitudegoingthrough everythinguptolanding. Donot
attemptahigh-speedlandinguntil youaresureyoucandeal withthehighinitial sink rate.
The bestweatherforpracticing is asmooth,calm, lowwind daywhen thecanopywill berelatively
stableand responding only topilot control. It is importanttoavoidany possibility of thecanopy being
influenced by changes inwinddirectionorspeed.
The ideainaswoop landingis toskim yourfeetacross thegroundormakethecanopygobackup.
Thereis avery small section ofthecontrol range ofthecanopy wherethisis possible. Ifyou pull the
toggledownjust alittlebeyond what is necessary toskim across theground,thecanopymayclimb.
However,justalittlemoretogglemaycausethecanopytodoahigh-speedstall.

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Inotherwords,ifyoupullyourtoggledownanymorethanit isnecessary,youwill passrightthrough
thecontrolrangeyouwant.Theresultofthis couldbedangerous.Theexact positionofthissmall
area ofthe control rangeofthecanopy is different on almost every jump. You must haveacomplete
andintrinsic understandingof your canopy toknow exactly whattodo forevery approach.
Rememberthatthe lastthing you do inaswoop landing is land.Ifyou letyourself getinwherethe
canopydoesnothaveenoughairspeedtofly,youdropfromthataltitude.Ifthathappenstobeten
feet high,youfall ten feet!
Onceyouhavemasteredthecanopy, youmay decide totryapproaches at highair speeds.lt’s logi-
calthatthefasteryougo,theharderyouwill hit,sobecareful.Therearethreemethodstogainex-
traairspeedonapproach:frontrisers, front riserhookturns andtogglehook turns.
Pulling downboth front risers on astraight-in approachis theleast dangerous method.Aminimal
pull downonthefrontrisers (lessthantwoinches) will resultinavery largeincreaseinairspeed
(increasingtheflarepoweronalmost anylanding). The flarethenbeginswithasmoothreleaseof
the front risers andis continuedbysmoothlypullingthe toggles downas muchasnecessary.
Thealtitudetobegintheflarevarieswitheachapproachandhowfastthe flareisexecuted.Ittakes
practicetodeterminethesefactors.This practicecanbehazardoustoyourhealth! When using
frontrisers togainextraspeed,never letgo ofthe toggles for any reason.
Also,besure nottousefrontrisers ingusty orturbulentwinds. Pullingonfrontrisers inthesecondi-
tionscouldcauseyour canopy tocollapse.
Front riserturnsareverydangerous.The forwardspeed gainedwiththis maneuveris muchmore
dramaticthanwithastraightfront-riserapproach,andyoumayundercuttheairflow. Acollapsed
canopy (A-line stall) maybethe result.
The bigdisadvantage isthatit ismuchmoredifficult tojudgecorrectly. Ifyoumisjudgethis typeof
approach,youcouldseriously hurt yourself.PV recommendsthatyou donottry this.
Togglehookturnsarethemostdangerous ofthethree optionsandoffernoadvantageinper-
formance. Becauseboththebankangleandthe altitude atthestart of theturnmust beexact, toggle
hook turnsarevery difficult to performcorrectly.
Theyarealsoveryunpredictable inturbulence.Donot try atogglehookturnunder anycir-
cumstances.

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“DOsandDON’Ts”
For ConsistentlyGoodOpenings
When jumpingheavily loaded,elliptical-wingcanopies,consistent,on-headingopeningsbecome
exponentially moreimportant.Badpackingand/orbad bodyposition onopeningcouldinduceun-
recoverablelinetwists andapotentially difficultcutaway.
1. DOmaintaingood bodyposition during pull and canopydeployment.
This means:DON’T lookatyour pilot chuteand
DON’T dropashoulder tolookupatthecanopyduring opening.
Withhigherexit weight loads, beextracareful tohaveagoodbody positionduringdeployment. Ifit
is necessarytolookup atthecanopyduring opening—lookstraightupandNOTovertherightor
leftshoulder. Lookingupoverashoulderdropsthe oppositeshoulder,whichmakestherisersun-
evenandwill usually causeanoff-headingopeningor linetwists.
2.DO pro-packneatly.
The drawback ofhighperformanceis thatfastercanopiesrespondquickly even whenyou don't
wantthemto.Sloppily packingatinypocketrocketismuchmorelikely toresult inacutawaythan
alarger version ofthesameparachute.
Overthepastfewyears,moreand morecanopiesarebeingdesigned withnaturally soft opening
characteristics—withouttheneedforanyspecialpackingrequirements.
Werecommend pro-packingthemainalmostthesameasareserve,leavingthenoseexposed,
sliderquarteredbetweenthecanopy's sliderstops,andall fabric flakedneatly betweentheA, B, C,
Dandbrakelines.Theonly differenceis thatwhen packingthemain,wesuggestbringingthe tail
around androlling it just enough tokeepthesliderinplaceand the pack job togetheras thecanopy
is gently placed onthefloor.
All of thenewercanopy designswe'veseen recently open softwhenthecanopyispacked likethis.
Softerdeploymentalsoputslessstrainontheparachute,thoughsomejumpers whoareusedto
fast openingssayit takesalittlegettingusedto.
3. DON’T over-roll thenoseandwrapthetail.
The moreyouroll the nose,wrapthetail, etc., theless likely it is thatyourcanopywill open sym-
metrically. Asupersnivelpackjobthatrocksyouaroundasittwists and inflatescanactuallyfeel
harder thana faster,moreeven deployment.
Ifyourcanopyopeninggoessomethinglike,"snivel, snivel....Thwack," you mayhaveover-rolled
thenoseor tail, allowingthecanopytoinflatetoomuchbeforepushingtheslider downyour lines.

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4. DO keepthe slider securely against theslider stopswhen layingthe canopy down.
Somecanopieshavegottenareputationforsnivelopenings99percentofthetime,withtheocca-
sionalneck-jarringthwack.This couldbebecausethesliderwasn’tsecurely againstthesliderstops
whilelayingthecanopydownor puttingitinthebag.Thisallowsthecanopytopushthesliderdown
thelines fasterthan usual.
5. DO allow atleast 18”betweenthelast linestow andthemainrisers.
Perhapsthe most common causeofline twists severeenough torequireacutawayis making the
last linestow closer than18inchestothemainrisers. This cancausethe linestograbthe bottomof
thereservecontainerasthepilotchuteliftsthemainD-bagoutofthe maincontainer,causingthe
bagtospinwhilethe linesunstow.
Somelocalriggersandafewmanufacturersnowofferamodifiedmaindeployment-bagwhere
line-stowrubberbandsattachclosertothecenteroftheD-baginsteadofthesides.This places
shorterline stows closertothecenterofthe bagandkeepsthe linesfurtherfromthetopedgesof
themaincontainer.This alsomakes theD-bagmorestableas the linesunstowduring deployment.
Remember:
DO maintaingood bodyposition during pull and canopydeployment.
DON’Tlookat your pilot chute.
DON’Tdrop a shoulder tolookup at the canopyduring opening.
DO packneatly.
DON’Tover-roll the nose and wrap the tail.
DO keep theslider securelyagainst theslider stops.
DO allow atleast 18”between thelastline stowandthe mainrisers.

Date: 30.06.2004 Manual
Revision:0 DEMON US
Page: 17
Performance Variablee.K.AmTower 16, D-54634 Bitburg
Packing Tips
For Good Openings
Onyourfirst jump with yournew canopy –
please do notgo to terminal!
We recommend making a 3-sec. delay
(because a subterminal openingwill stretch fabric andlines symmetrically).
Also, pullingat a higheraltitude will give youmore time tobecomefamiliarwithyour
new canopy.
1) Don’t forget to cockthe slider.
2) Make sure slider is as far up as possible and staysthere!
3) Keep all 9cells together (see packing illustrations 7to16)...
4) andpush themback to the B-line group
(unless openings aretoo slow).
(If the openings are too slow, do not push thenose back to the
B-line groups!)
5) Make sure that the slider is “quartered” in
and between the stabilizers.
6) Roll the tail.
7) Use tight elastic bands instead of TubeStows.
8) Make large line stows—about 2 inches.
9) Allow 18”between the last line stowand the mainrisers.
10) Onlyuse our low-drag 24” kill-line pilot chute!

Date: 30.06.2004 Manual
Revision:0 DEMON US
Page: 18
Performance Variablee.K.AmTower 16, D-54634 Bitburg
Pre-Packing Instructions
Today'sram-aircanopies are very reliable parachutes. If aram-airhas straight lines—that
is, ifit isassembled correctlyand untangledafter the last timeitwas jumped — itwill usually
inflateeven iffoldedinways that are quite unusual.In otherwords, itisdifficultto pack a
ram-air main canopy soit won’t open.
We're not saying other packing methods won’t work with your Performance Variable canopy,
but the method shown here willprobably helpyour canopy open more consistently.
Before YouBegin
Where you pack your Performance Variable canopy isimportant.
Sincesunlightirreversiblydamages nylonparachutes,anindoorshady areais best.Packing
inthe sunlightisunavoidableat most places, so try to reduceyourcanopy’sexposure todi-
rect sunlight as much as possible. Coveritwith apacking mat or jumpsuitwhileyou debrief
a jump or critique a student.
Packing on concrete and asphaltshouldalsobe avoidedbecause they willwear the fabric,
lines and fittings that are used to build your parachute system. A dry lawn is best.
Packing behind abuilding or van willmake packing easier because itblocks thewind.
FAA regulations require that a main parachute be packed by either an FAA -certified rigger or
the person who willjump it. Other countries may have similar regulations.
AWord About Help
When you're learning to pack, never hesitate to ask a rigger or your instructor for help. They
willshowyou tips that willmake the process faster and easier.
Be sure they refer to thismanual,however, as they might not befamiliar withour packing
method.

Date: 30.06.2004 Manual
Revision:0 DEMON US
Page: 19
Performance Variablee.K.AmTower 16, D-54634 Bitburg
Read theManualFirst
Readthesepacking instructionscompletely beforeyoubegin.Doingsowill giveyouabetterideaof
whatyouaredoing,andit will helpyougo alittlefaster.
Packing Canopies Made of NYLSILKFabric
CanopiesmadefromNYLSILKcan bepackedjust likeanyothersimilarcanopy.Ifyouprefertoflat
pack andhavebeen gettinggoodresultswithasimilarcanopy, this methodshouldwork withyour
new canopy.Therearemany differentpackjobs currently being used. Werecommendthe pro-pack
detailedintheowner'smanual.
This packmethodconsistently resultsinsoft,on-headingopenings,withminimumriskofcanopy
damage.Others maynotwork aswell. Ifyoutryadifferentpack method,youdosoatyourown
risk. Ifyouuseasideor bookpack, start atthetail andwork forwardtosqueezethe air out.
PackingacanopymadeofNYLSILKisanewskillthatmust be learned.At first, it will be morediffi-
cult topackthancanopiesmadeoutof conventionalmaterials.However,withpracticeit willbecome
just aseasy. Youcanmakethepackjobconsiderablyeasierbygettingabagthatis slightlylarger
thanyourmaincontainer.It is easiertosqueezeasmall amountoftheair outafterthecanopyis in
thebag.(Consult thecontainer manufacturer about this.)
The keytomaking thejob easy is topack fast andaccurately. Eachfoldorroll must be done quickly
andcorrectly thefirst time.This will only comewithpractice.Packing doesnothurt thecanopy,so
pleasepracticeuntil you aregood atgetting aneatly folded canopyintothebag beforeyou start
jumpingthe canopy.
The fabric hasamemory andalwaystriestoopenbackup.Onceyoustart, youmust continueuntil
thecanopyis inthebagandthefirstlockingstows aresecure.Youcan'twaste timeatanypointin
the packing procedurebecausethis givesthecanopytimetomovearound,form abigmess,and
you will havetostart over.
After the folding andorganizing portion (donewhilestanding) is complete, you shouldroll the tail. Be
carefulnottoletthetail unroll whilesqueezingtheair out. lf youkneelonthecanopyfacingthepilot
chuteattachmentjustabovethewarninglabel, youwill beinabetterpositiontocontrolthis.Slowly
lay downonthecanopywhilestill containingitwithyourhands.Theonlyplacefortheair toleak out
is thestitchholes, sogoslowly. Ifyou gotoofast, theair will blow the pack jobapart.
Demoncanopiesaredesignedforaslow-to-mediumspeed,two-step openingwhen packedasde-
scribedinthePVmanual. Youshouldtailorthepacking,especially ofthenose,foryourparticular
canopyandpreferences.Forexample,thenosecanbegentlypushedintothe middle;theslider
shouldbequarteredand leftinitsposition. Or foraslower opening, thenosecanberolled.

Date: 30.06.2004 Manual
Revision:0 DEMON US
Page: 20
Performance Variablee.K.AmTower 16, D-54634 Bitburg
Inspection
Performed beforeeachpacking
You must inspect your parachutesystem eachtimeyoupack it. It takes only afew moments andwill
helppreventmalfunctionsand otherproblems.Theinspection is bestdonewhentherigandcanopy
arestretched outontheground priortopacking.The procedureoutlined belowis differentthanthe
thoroughinspectionthatmustbeperformedperiodicallyandwhentheparachuteisfirst assembled
or ifdamageis suspected.Themorethoroughprocedurewaspresentedearlier.
Ifyoudiscover any wornor improperly rigged components, bring them tothe attention ofanFAA cer-
tified rigger beforejumpingthesystemagain.
During your inspectionoftheentiresystem,pay specialattentiontothe items listed below. Anydam-
aged orwornpartsmust berepairedorreplacedbeforejumpingthe systemagain.Start withthe
harness andcontainerandwork up tothecanopyandpilotchute.Although theowner'smanualthat
camewiththerigcontainsspecific inspectionprocedures, besuretocheck theitems listedbelow!
Reserve: Itmust besealedandindate.Theripcordpin(s)must beseated properly andnot bent.
The cablemustmovefreely inits housing.Theripcordhandlemust beproperly stowed inits pocket.
Ifthe rigis equippedwithanautomatic opener, it must beinstalled andcalibratedcorrectly.
Harness: Inspect the entireharness forbrokenstitchesand excessivewear.
MainContainer: Thelocking loop must notbeworn,asaproblemwiththe locking devicecanresult
inaprematureopeningoralockedcontainer.
Risers: Check theriserreleasescarefully. Theymust beinstalledand assembled properly. Ifyour
harness has3-ringreleases, be surethewhitelocking loopis notworn(it mustpass only overthe
smallest ring).
Besurethereleasecablesareinserted correctlyinthewhiteloops. Check thesteeringlinesand
toggles.Look fordamage,looseknots andslipping toggles. (Seriousinjuriescouldresultifan incor-
rectly attachedtoggledetachesfromthesteeringline during the landing flare— don'tletithappento
you.)
Check VELCRO forwear!